Abstract: A conversion broiler assembly to adapt a single-sided cooking apparatus to a double-sided cooking apparatus. The conversion broiler assembly has a rear housing that is mountable to the single-sided cooking apparatus. The rear housing movably receives left and right stanchions that are pivotally attached to left and right support arms with a broiler positioned therebetween. The left and right stanchions and support arms are generally hollow and provide passageways for combustion air, exhaust air, gas lines and electrical lines to and from the broiler. A rail system having two rails with running surfaces and one rail with an inclined running surface support rollers on the left and right stanchions to provide for smooth and easy lateral translation of the broiler relative to the rear housing. The conversion broiler assembly has a flue system for directing air flow and high temperature exhaust away from the assembly when in use while maintaining a substantially cool rear wall of the assembly.

Abstract: A top side cooker has a pivotally mounted cooking head that is movable from an open position to a cooking position where its flat cooking surface is urged, by the weight of the cooking head, into engagement with the flat cooking surface of a grill. A simultaneously adjustable front foot and rear foot are coupled to the cooking head for establishing a distance between the cooking surface and the grill surface. A handle operates a worm gear arrangement coupled to a shaft, which extends from the front to the back of the cooking head. A front and a rear pinion gear engage front and rear racks that are coupled to the front foot and the rear foot, respectively. The handle rotates the shaft which simultaneously moves the front foot and the rear foot to adjust the distance between the cooking surface and the grill surface. The front foot includes indicia for indicating the distance.

Abstract: A clamshell griddle is designed so that the rising, lowering and rotating motions of the platen and the setting of distance between the griddle and the platen main body can be effected automatically and in one stroke by the operation of a single motor, thereby resulting in simple structure and low price.

Abstract: A grain cake baking machine having an upper mold, a ring mold and a lower mold, with the upper and lower molds sliding in the ring mold and defining a mold cavity, a first drive for moving the lower mold relative to the ring mold between a vent position and an intermediate baking position, and an unload position extending to the upper end of the ring mold for discharging the cake, a second drive for moving the upper mold relative to the ring mold between a load position out of the ring mold for loading grain and unloading a cake, and a baking position within the ring mold, a third drive for loading a charge of grain into the ring mold when the upper and lower molds are in the load positions, with the first drive moving the lower mold to the load position for venting the mold cavity, and heaters for the upper and lower molds.

Abstract: A bake stuff cooker 10 includes: a main body case 1; a mount plate 2 attached on an upper surface of the main body case 1 for mounting a cook stuff; a heating plate 3 pivotally switchable between a facing position facing the mount plate 2 to form a gap corresponding to the thickness of the cook stuff above the mount plate 2 and a separating position separating from the facing position; the heating plate 3 forming a heating face on an upper surface and/or a lower surface thereof; a lid 5 for forming another gap corresponding to the thickness of another cook stuff above the heating plate 3 and for covering the heating face 31a on the upper surface of the heating plate 3; an induction heating coil 11 for heating the heating face; a control unit 9 for controlling to drive and stop the induction heating coil 11; and a thermistor 92 for detecting a temperature of the heating face, wherein the control unit 9 is provided with a drive time setting circuit 93 for setting a drive time of the induction heating coil 11 in

Abstract: A grill plate for grilling food, and in particular, frozen meat patties, is coated with a mixture of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and a far-infrared radiation substance. The PTFE, being an abherent, prevents food from sticking to the grill plates, while the far-infrared radiation substance facilitates heating the inner portion of the food by the far-infrared radiation emitted from the far-infrared radiation substance. The entire piece of food is cooked evenly before the outer portion is overcooked.

Abstract: A cooking device comprising a hot plate with a top surface; a heatable bottom cooking surface bearing a plurality of outwardly-projecting, spring-loaded, food piercing temperature probes of different lengths, configured for injecting into a piece of food such that the temperature of the food surrounding at least one probe may be determined, and wherein the spring-loaded configuration allows the probes to retract into the body of the cooking device when contacting a non-penetrable surface; means for indicating the temperature at the probes' ends; means for controlling the temperature of the bottom cooking surface; and a handle.

Abstract: An apparatus and low temperature process providing a means for ensuring bacteriological safety in the fast food production of hamburgers and other protein or farinaceous food articles. The present invention is directed toward a method and apparatus for transferring heat to food articles contained in sealed plastic food cooking and staging containers, and is particularly adapted for cooking and/or holding previously cooked food articles quite near to a selected precise internal temperature for prolonged time periods and can be employed to defrost and cook food articles or to complete the cooking of food articles that have been previously cooked and to stage same for prolonged time periods at optimum product quality and at a precise internal product temperature within the narrow equilibration range of from between .+-.2.degree. F. and .+-.5.degree. F. thereby assuring precision, time and temperature-related, means for pathogenic risk management and food safety for public consumption.

Abstract: A conversion broiler assembly to adapt a single-sided cooking apparatus to a double-sided cooking apparatus. The conversion broiler assembly has a rear housing that is mountable to the single-sided cooking apparatus. The rear housing movably receives left and right stanchions that are pivotally attached to left and right support arms with a broiler positioned therebetween. The left and right stanchions and support arms are generally hollow and provide passageways for combustion air, exhaust air, gas lines and electrical lines to and from the broiler. A rail system having two rails with running surfaces and one rail with an inclined running surface support rollers on the left and right stanchions to provide for smooth and easy lateral translation of the broiler relative to the rear housing. The conversion broiler assembly has a flue system for directing air flow and high temperature exhaust away from the assembly when in use while maintaining a substantially cool rear wall of the assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveyorized toasting of sandwich buns and like bread and food items simultaneously on opposite sides comprises a central heated platen with two bun transport conveyors traveling in spaced relation along opposite sides of the platen and with a pair of auxiliary heating elements disposed outwardly of the respective food transport runs of the conveyors in facing relation to the opposite sides of the platen. Each conveyor is biased toward the platen by a pair of parallel pivot arms urged by springs into pivoted engagement against the transport run of the respective conveyor to define a predetermined desirable spacing to the facing side of the platen.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an apparatus utilizing a plurality of stacked roll bonded heat transfer plates having a heat transfer fluid circulating therein for transferring heat to food articles for cooking or staging ensuring bacteriological safety in the fast food production of hamburgers and other protein or farinaceous food articles. The apparatus utilizes floating hinges to support the spaced apart heat transfer plates in alignment and provides a means to initially cook frozen food articles sealed in heat conducting containers, such as a flexible pouch to cook raw food articles or previously cooked food articles, and to stage same for prolonged time periods at optimum product quality at a selected low temperature, thereby assuring precision, time and temperature-related, pathogenic risk management and food safety for public consumption.

Abstract: A platen cover feed system includes a frame supporting a pair of spools. A belt is connected at each end to the spools and can be fed from one spool to the other or vice versa. The spools can be mounted on supports located at the four top corners of the frame, and the rear supports can be adjusted to various heights. The system may include clamps associated with the spools. The clamps can be tightened or loosened manually in order to either fix the belt in place or feed it forward or backward. Thus, the belt can be fed a varying distance in either direction. The belt is generally made of, or coated with, Teflon or a similar non-sticking material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an adjustable hinge apparatus and spacer means for use with a low temperature grill having multiple stacked heating plates and at least one support rod extending across one side of the grill to form a common pivot axis. The hinge apparatus includes an array of adjustable floating hinges formed to be positioned adjacent one another pivotally supported on the support rod. Each hinge includes a hinge block having a slide aperture therethrough sized and shaped for receiving a support arm member extending therethrough in the vertical plane and being slidably supported therein at a selected position in order to support the plates at a selected height. The support blocks also include a pivot aperture therethrough positioned substantially normal to the support arm aperture being sized and shaped for receiving the horizontal support rod therethrough. The support arm members of adjacent hinge blocks are formed with offset bends for attachment with consecutively stacked heating plates.

Abstract: A cooking grill apparatus having superposed, vertically separable, heated grill plates, the uppermost one of which is pivotally connected to the outer ends of two laterally spaced arms which pivot simultaneously about an elevated horizontal pivot axis whereby the upper grill is moveable about such pivot axis with and selectively relative to such spaced arms. The upper grill carries a pair of like parallelogram linkage systems along its lateral margins which include adjustable stop means for engaging parallel stationary reference surfaces paralleling the plane of the cooking surface for the stationary lower grill plate. Selected movement of the parallelogram linkage system to change the vertical position of the stop means is determined by selectively operable gauge means for limiting movement of the linkage systems and thus movement of the stop means towards the references surfaces whereby the spacing between the two grill plates during cooking operation is correspondingly selectively limited.

Abstract: A countertop appliance for automatically making a plurality of disk-shaped edibles comprising a dough maker for mixing and kneading the desired dough ingredients, the dough maker having a discharge valve that releases a portion of the mixed dough onto one of four circular platens of a transfer carousel. The platens rotate in a circular plane, so that once a dough portion is dropped to the platen, the transfer carousel rotates the platens, and in the next position a shaper plate flattens the dough portion on a platen. When a dough portion is properly shaped, the platen is rotated to a position where it inverts and the dough is dropped onto a conveyor. The conveyor moves the dough portions along a path, past heating elements that cook the dough, until the finished cooked dough products are dropped from the conveyor.

Abstract: In an apparatus for supplying a predetermined amount of cooking materials, a pair of conveyer belt mechanisms 2 synchronously running along both sides of a material supply path is provided in a storage 1 for accommodating cooking materials, such as chopped vegetables. The cooking materials 6 filled in the material supply path between the belts are conveyed to the exit side of the path corresponding to movement of the conveyer belts by a predetermined pitch whenever a supply command is made, and then dropped onto a stand-by cooking plate 5 through the exit.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveyorized griddle-like cooking of food products simultaneously on two opposed product sides comprises a pair of cooking elements arranged in opposed spaced facing relation to emit thermal cooking energy toward one another and two endless food transport conveyors driven to travel between the cooking elements along respective food-conveying runs in a common transport direction in sufficient closely spaced, generally parallel relation to transport the food products to be cooked simultaneously on opposite sides. Each conveyor is preferably in the form of a belt having a substantially continuous imperforate food contacting surface so as to provide griddle-like contact with the opposite sides of the food product during cooking. Differing embodiments of the apparatus are contemplated to accommodate cooking of differing food products, e.g.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for ensuring bacteriological safety in the fast food production of hamburgers and other protein or farinaceous food articles. The present invention is directed toward a method and apparatus for transferring heat to food articles contained in hermetically sealed plastic food cooking and staging pouch, and is particularly adapted for cooking and/or holding previously cooked food articles quite near to a preferred and precise internal temperature for prolonged time periods and can be employed to initially cook food articles or to complete the cooking of food articles that have been previously cooked and to stage same for prolonged time periods at optimum product quality and at a precise internal product temperature within the narrow equilibration range of .+-.2.degree. F., thereby assuring precision, time- and temperature-related, pathogenic risk management and food safety for public consumption.

Abstract: A device for preparing puffed food products from cereals such as rice wherein the cereal is subjected to pressure and heat, the device comprising a mold having a cavity defined by a wall thereabouts, an interior surface extending about the cavity, a piston moveable into and out of the cavity, there being provided a recess formed in the interior surface of the cavity wall with an insert being located within the recess. The insert permits greater tolerances in the manufacture of the device and also acts as a thermal insulator to minimize thermal changes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an adjustable hinge apparatus for use with a cooker having multiple stacked heating plates and a support pin extending across one side of the cooker to form a common pivot axis. The hinge apparatus includes an array of adjustable hinges formed to be positioned adjacent one another on the support pin. Each hinge includes a hinge block having a pivot aperture sized for sliding movement of the support pin therein and an arm extending away from the hinge block. The arms of adjacent hinges are formed for attachment with consecutively stacked heating plates and the hinge block of each hinge is formed to slide on the support pin perpendicular to the pivot axis and independently of adjacent hinges. Thus, the hinging apparatus in accordance with the present permits variable spacing and free floating vertical movement between heating plates, and prevents relative horizontal movement between the plates by maintaining a common pivot point for all plates in the various positions.

Abstract: A food material heating mechanism includes at least an upper and a lower heating plate. Food material is placed on a food material tray which is then placed on the lower heating plate. The upper and lower heating plates are moved toward each other to cause an upper surface of the food material to make contact with a bottom surface of the upper heating plate for a heating process. Heating is enhanced by adding a layer of a far infrared radiation substance to surfaces of the heating plates and food material tray which make contact with the food material. The food material tray is preheated to a temperature that is substantially lower than a temperature of the upper heating plate, whereby during the heating process, a soft surface is produced by contact of the food material with the food material tray, and a crusty surface is produced by contact with the upper heating plate. A fluororesin, such as TEFLON, can be added to the surfaces which come into contact with the food material to prevent sticking.

Abstract: A novel electromechanical apparatus for operating the conventional rolling pin on a motor-driven disc board for making dough discs out of dough balls.

Abstract: Cooking apparatus having an upper cooking platen mounted on a support arm for swinging movement between a lower cook position and a raised position. The upper platen is mounted on the support arm for limited floating movement and upper platen adjusting mechanism is provided which engages the lower platen at a plurality of spaced points and which is adjusted by a single manually operated control. Upper platen lift assist mechanism has pressurized gas cylinders arranged so that the gas cylinders do not exert substantial upward or downward force on the upper platen arm when the upper platen is in a cook position, and assist raising the upper platen when the platen support arm is lifted out of the cook position.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing continuous tortillas which includes a double-press system with three conveyors. The two presses are arranged in series to eliminate production gaps as the tortillas proceed into the oven. The structure of the second press is positioned higher than the structure of the first press so that tortillas formed from the second press can be deposited on the intermediate conveyor with tortillas formed from the first press, thereby providing a continuous supply of tortillas to the oven.

Abstract: A food loaf shaping and texturizing rack is provided which transforms a generally cylindrical large food loaf, stick or chub into a shape which approximates that of a natural food product, such as whole muscle meat when sliced. The rack also includes a lattice network which forms irregularities in the surface of the finished product.

Abstract: A double contact grill for cooking foods, the grill comprising: top and bottom cooking plates having heating elements; a pivotal connection between the bottom cooking plate and the top cooking plate wherein the top cooking plate is moveable between a lower position adjacent to the bottom cooking plate and a raised position; and a counterbalance disposed on an opposite side of the pivotal connection from the side of the pivotal connection on which the top plate is disposed, wherein the counterbalance is of a weight and a position to provide a seating force causing the top cooking plate to seat against the bottom cooking plate when the top cooking plate is in the lowered position and wherein when the top cooking plate is in the raised position the counterbalance provides a resisting force to maintain the top cooking plate in the upright position.

Abstract: The present invention is an automatic pizza dough press device for forming uncooked pizza pie from fresh dough. It includes a main housing frame; a base tray located within the frame and mounted therein to be at least partially slidable therefrom and is adapted for interchangeable and reversible bottom molds; an upper encasement on the frame; controls, a pump, motor and a hydraulic piston and cylinder connected to the upper encasement, the controls being at least two separate disparate controls and being connected to the motor, the motor and pump being hydraulically connected to the piston so as to move the piston downward and upward, and the piston being generally biased in an upward position; and, a top press mold connected to the piston for reciprocal movement therewith. The top press mold includes a heating unit to enhance dough relaxation without baking it. The controls are located sufficiently apart to necessitate a user to use two hands to operate the device.

Abstract: In a cracker production apparatus of the type comprising a heatable mould consisting of a stationary upper mould element, a movable ring mould and a reciprocating lower mould element or punch driven by a hydraulically actuated toggle-mechanism, the improvement wherein a twin-head mould arrangement for high rate, automatic manufacture of uniformly expanded crackers is driven by a single hydraulic drive unit formed of two aligned, cooperating double-action pistons, whereby a first piston is adapted to control, in combination with specific central program/microprocessing means, an adjustable final baking pressure, and a second piston to regulate a desired expanded cracker thickness, and this independant of grain feed and/or apparatus related mechanical parameters.

Abstract: A belt grill is described herein for continuously cooking fast food products on a conveyor formed of counter-rotating heat conductive belts. The belts are heated by platens disposed above and below whereby a run of the belts passes in heat conductive relationship between the platens, and the food to be cooked is placed in the nip between the rotating belts. The device further includes means for tensioning the belts which can be automatically released by increasing the distance between the platens whereby when the distance exceeds a predetermined maximum, all tension on both belts will be released so that the belts can be quickly removed for cleaning or replacement. The belts are preferably Teflon coated fiberglass and may be disposed at an angle to the horizontal to facilitate grease removal from the cooking process.

Abstract: A device for removing excess grease and juices from a cooked hamburger. The device includes a container having a bottom and sidewall which extends upwardly to define a container cavity, the periphery of the sidewall defining a rim. A handle is coupled to the sidewall remote from the container cavity. A cover having a top and integral sidewall extends downwardly to define a cover cavity, the periphery of the sidewall defining a rim. A handle is coupled to the sidewall remote from the cover cavity, and a hole is disposed through the top wall. A coupling component is for coupling the cover to the container. A draining plate having a plurality of draining holes therethrough is adapted to rest on the rim of the container between the cover cavity and container cavity when the container is coupled to the cover. A pressing component is disposed through the hole of the container and located within the cover cavity and is used to press a cooked hamburger against the surface of the draining plate.

Abstract: A device for forming and par baking a pizza crust from a quantity of pizza dough disposed in a pizza pan. The device comprises a frame having a base portion and an upper housing portion. Releasably attached to the upper housing portion is an upper mold, while releasably attached to the base portion is a lower support platen. Pivotally connected to the upper housing portion is a handle member which is adapted to reciprocally move the upper mold between a loading position wherein the pizza dough may be introduced into the pizza pan and a flattening position wherein the pizza dough is compressed between the bottom surface of the upper mold and the pizza pan. Slidably attached to the support platen are at least two retaining members which extend upwardly from the top surface thereof. Also slidably attached to the support platen is an adjustment mechanism for selectively moving the retaining members linearly relative the top surface as needed to allow the pizza pan to be positioned therebetween.

Abstract: The device for holding a built-in cooking apparatus, especially a glass ceramic cooking apparatus, in an opening provided in a cooking apparatus receptacle (1), includes a cooking apparatus housing (2) containing heating elements; a cooking apparatus upper portion including a cooking panel (6) and a border frame (4, 5) around the cooking panel (6); a releasable clamping connection device (3, 8) for releasably attaching the cooking apparatus upper portion from above with the cooking apparatus housing; and an attachment device (3) for attaching the cooking apparatus housing (2) in the cooking apparatus receptacle (1).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing dough is provided for automatically processing a large mass of dough into a plurality of smaller, shaped dough pieces. A dough divider is used to receive the large mass of dough and to divide the large mass into smaller dough pieces. A dough rounder is used to receive the smaller dough pieces, round the pieces into dough balls and eject the dough balls serially from a discharge outlet thereof. A first conveyor is provided to receive the ejected dough balls from the discharge outlet and to deposit the dough balls in a predetermined spacing on a second conveyor. The second conveyor intermittently carries the dough balls along a length of the second conveyor. A prepressing device is arranged with a portion for engaging the dough balls being carried on the second conveyor when the second conveyor is stopped, so as to deform the dough balls into thick dough disks.

Abstract: A high speed food processing device wherein the device has a continuous moving belt of non-stick material for carrying the food product, and an upper and lower heat platens capable of moving with the food product so that there is no interruption of the forward movement of the continuously moving belt whereby the platens start in a rear-most position, clamp the moldable dough on the non-stick belt and move forward with the continuously moving belt cooking the food product at the same time, then releasing and returning to the rearmost position starting the cycle over again. A single drive mechanism simultaneously drives the continuous forward movement of the non-stick belt and the back and forth movement of the upper and lower platens.

Abstract: A meat press is provided which includes an actuating dolly and a press tree having first and second frames. The actuating dolly includes a subframe that is vertically extendable and carries cylinders that engage portions of the overlying tree when brought into registry therewith. The cylinders engage a linkage which is connected to a second frame and can cause movement thereof in a manner which exerts a compression force on a meat product loaded on the tree. The linkage is constructed and the cylinders are mounted in a manner that allows the cylinders to exert a horizontally directed pulling force on the linkage which then causes vertical movement of the second frame.

Abstract: Cooking machine and method include a mould with first and second similarly shaped end walls and a generally surrounding, continuous side wall, the three walls together defining an internal moulding volume, with the three walls being reciprocally movable relative to one another. Heating elements are provided in at least one wall or in thermal contact therewith, and a control mechanism controls at least relative movement of the walls so that at the end of a predetermined cooking cycle the end walls and the sidewall are relatively separated to retract both end walls from the moulding volume simultaneously.

Abstract: A gas-fired, double-sided griddle apparatus for high-volume commercial cooking comprises double-sided griddles, each having a lower platen having a horizontal lower cooking surface and an upper platen having an upper cooking surface; a positioning mechanism for moving the upper platen of each griddle into a horizontal position in contact with the food, permitting the upper platen to press downward against the food until the cooking surface reaches a predetermined level above the cooking surface of the lower platen, stopping the downward movement at that level, and lifting the upper platen away from the food after a predetermined cooking time; a counterflow heater for heating a supply of oil to desired temperatures; and apparatus for circulating the heated oil through a serpentine path wherein the oil contacts, and transfers heat to, a first region of the lower platen and a similar path wherein the oil transfers heat to a second region of the upper platen that is positioned directly above, and parallel to, the

Abstract: The invention is for a stove with a heat transferred unit having an improved attaching mechanism to connect the platen shoe to the heating element of the stove. The stove includes a lower heating element and a top heating unit. The top heating unit has a platen shoe attached to the face thereof. The platen shoe has a non-stick surface on its cooking face and is a continuous flat surface. The back side of the platen shoe contains several slotted openings to receive the head of a stud. The slotted openings have an undercut portion that is pie-shaped and creates a shoulder against which the head of the stud will abut once the stud is inserted into the slotted opening and rotated about its axis. The under cut forms a cavity in the back side of the platen shoe which captures the head of the stud and holds it firmly in place so that the stud may then be passed through holes in the top heating unit of the stove.

Abstract: A pizza base unit of crust has a plurality of waffle-type depressions in its upper surface that receive pizza toppings and serve to anchor such toppings on the upper surface of the pizza. In the method of forming the pizza, raw pizza dough is formed into a pizza size portion and is subjected to a first cooking step to form a crust while simultaneously providing a plurality of the waffle-like depressions in its upper surface. Pizza toppings are then placed on the upper surface of the cooked crust and in the depressions and this assembly is then subjected to a second heating step to complete the pizza for consumption. Apparatus for carrying out the method includes a hot plate with cooking areas arranged to receive raw pizza dough for cooking into a pizza crust.

Abstract: A gas-fired, double-sided griddle apparatus for high-volume commercial cooking comprises double-sided griddles, each having a lower platen having a horizontal lower cooking surface and an upper platen having an upper cooking surface; a positioning mechanism for moving the upper platen of each griddle into a horizontal position in contact with the food, permitting the upper platen to press downward against the food until the cooking surface reaches a predetermined level above the cooking surface of the lower platen, stopping the downward movement at that level, and lifting the upper platen away from the food after a predetermined cooking time; a counterflow heater for heating a supply of oil to desired temperatures; and apparatus for circulating the heated oil through a serpentine path wherein the oil contacts, and transfers heat to, a first region of the lower platen and a similar path wherein the oil transfers heat to a second region of the upper platen that is positioned directly above, and parallel to, the

Abstract: An improvement in a dough ball pressing apparatus in which the continuous conveyor belt is provided with metal strips at predetermined spaced locations along each edge of the conveyor belt and a pair of proximity switches are positioned on the apparatus adjacent the edges of the conveyor belt for detecting the metal strips. The proximity switches cause the belt driving mechanism to stop upon detecting a metal strip for precisely locating the belt and controlling the distance of travel in each cycle. The conveyor belt is provided as a flat length with ends that are realeasably connected by a pin for allowing easy installation of the belt without disassembling the belt drive mechanism.

Abstract: A tetrafluoroethylene base polymer-containing coating composition comprising a dispersion of a tetrafluoroethylene base polymer having a molecular weight of at least 5,000,000 in a liquid medium containing a surfactant, which is particularly useful for coating a fixing heater roller and a cooking utensil.

Abstract: An apparatus for rapidly cooking meat products for a quick service restaurant which will simulate the appearance of an open flame broiled meat product. The meat product is clamped between a grill and a series of raised crown portions formed in the bottom of a cooking pan. The cooking pan also includes rounded depressions which alternate with the upraised crowns to serve as reservoirs for the collection of fat and other rendered meat juices. The clamping action between the grill and the pan flattens the meat product having a range of product weight to a uniform thickness while simultaneously assuring conductive heat transfer from the crowns to the meat. The grill is pre-coated with a carmelizing agent which leaves grill marks on the meat product during the cooking cycle.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooking food products comprising a container capable of holding a liquid and having a pivotable cover attached thereto, a bottom plate mounted in the container and having a plurality of tines extending upwardly therefrom, a food product holding plate resiliently mounted over the bottom plate and having a plurality of openings therein which mate with the plurality of tines, and a pressure plate mounted on said cover such that when said cover is in its closed position the pressing plate will depress the food holding plate a distance sufficient to permit the plurality of tines to pass through the plurality of holes for a determined distance.

Abstract: Apparatus in which a food product is cooked by being impaled on a plurality of heated grills that extend substantially therethrough. In this simplified apparatus, an operator rotates a first handle, which causes the elements of a separator to drop under gravity to a position among the grills and which further causes a press to descend to impale the food product onto the grills. The operator pulls and releases a second handle, which causes a container of heated cooking medium to raise and cook the food product, a cooking timer to start, the container to be lowered at the end of a predetermined cooking time, and the separator element to raise from the grills, thereby separating the food product from the grills. All of the above operations may be accomplished without the use of a motor or similar power source.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for eliminating fat from a formed ground meat product while maintaining desireable texture and other eating qualities, comprising the steps of placing the product on a support member configured to promote the flow of fat away from the product; bringing the product to a temperature at which a substantial proportion of the fat contained in the meat is liquified; and compressing the product against the support member only after the product has reached the temperature at which a substantial portion of the fat contained in the meat is liquified, by applying a rolling pressure which repeatedly traverses the product in a plane parallel to the support member for a period and at a pressure level sufficient to exude a substantial portion of the liquified fat from the product. During at least part of the time when rolling pressure is applied, a non-fat liquid is supplied to the top surface of the product.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for producing shaped products from granular materials, in particular food products from cereals such as rice, corn, wheat or the like, which are pressure-baked and afterwards expanded in a heatable mold defined in a fixed upper mold and a movable lower mold (punch). Preferably the mold comprises a peripheral mold element which is individually movable. Driving means are provided for actuating the movable punch which are in the form of two aligned, separately controlled hydraulic cylinders of which one cylinder defines a precise expansion and the other cylinder controls the compression in combination with separate end switch means.

Abstract: A pair of cooperating heating and pressing plates for converting a ball of dough into a flat baked disc, such as a tortilla, are mounted between vertical side frames of a supporting frame structure. The one heating and pressing unit is fixedly mounted at an angle to the horizontal sufficient to insure the gravitational discharge of the baked tortilla. The movable plate is shifted by a manually operable cam. All elements of the apparatus are secured in position between the side frames by a plurality of manually operable bolts, thus permitting the rapid disassembly of the apparatus for cleaning purposes and the equally rapid reassembly of the apparatus.

Abstract: A dough forming die assembly for the manufacture of machine-made pizza crusts in cooperation with a pizza pan having a generally circular central portion surrounded by upwardly sloping walls joining a horizontal rim. The dough forming die is mounted to a vertically movable base and provided with a generally planar face portion having a surrounding recessed rim. The outer wall of said rim is provided with a downwardly extending thin lip adapted to engage the upper portion of said sloping walls of said pan. A cylindrical, ring-shaped sealing member is mounted to the base for limited slidable movement relative to said die between a raised position and a lowered position engaging said pan and slideably engages the outer wall of said rim.

Abstract: An improved removable cooking surface assembly for the upper movable heated platen of a two-sided cooking device includes a cooking surface device having a planar rigid heat-conducting metal platen with threaded studs bonded to its upper surface, the studs being aligned with bores in an upper movable heat platen, the heat-conducting plate being coated on its lower surface with a layer of non-stick synthetic coating. The coated platen is removably connected with a heated platen and extends in contiguous relation across the lower surface of the heated platen for uniform heat transfer from the heated platen to the coated platen and the food product being cooked. Following cooking of the food product, the upper platen is raised, and the food product remains on the lower grill surface because the coating of the upper surface prevents the product from sticking to the non-stick coating over the heated platen.